Casablanca – Morocco has taken a new step in strengthening its offshore energy strategy by signing a major exploration agreement with the U.S.-based company Murphy Oil Corporation, through its subsidiary Murphy Morocco Oil Co., Ltd. The partnership, formalized on 22 January 2026, reflects the Kingdom’s continued efforts to attract international energy investors and to assess the hydrocarbon potential of its Atlantic offshore zones.

The agreement was signed by Amina Benkhadra, Director General of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), and Christopher C. Olson, Vice President of Murphy Oil Corporation, during an official ceremony. The deal focuses on offshore exploration in the area known as “Gharb Deep Offshore,” located off Morocco’s Atlantic coast, and represents one of the largest offshore exploration initiatives announced by the Kingdom in recent years.

According to official data, the agreement covers a total surface area of approximately 16,989.9 square kilometers and includes ten exploration licenses. This extensive perimeter underscores the scale of the project and the level of confidence placed by both parties in the geological potential of Morocco’s offshore sedimentary basins.

The partnership comes at a time when Morocco is seeking to reinforce its energy sovereignty, diversify its energy sources, and reduce vulnerability to external supply shocks. While the country has made significant progress in renewable energy, particularly in solar and wind power, authorities continue to view hydrocarbons as an important component of the national energy mix, especially during the transition toward cleaner energy sources.

ONHYM plays a central role in this strategy. Over the past decade, the public agency has intensified efforts to promote Morocco’s offshore and onshore basins by making reprocessed seismic data available to international operators, streamlining regulatory frameworks, and offering investment-friendly contractual conditions. These initiatives are aimed at improving geological knowledge, reducing exploration risk, and increasing the attractiveness of Moroccan acreage in a highly competitive global market.

The “Gharb Deep Offshore” zone, which forms the core of the new agreement, is part of a broader Atlantic margin that includes areas such as Tarfaya, Agadir, and Gharb. These regions are considered underexplored by international standards, despite their geological similarities to productive basins elsewhere in West Africa and the Atlantic margin. Moroccan authorities view this underexploration as an opportunity to attract experienced international operators capable of deploying advanced seismic and drilling technologies.

Murphy Morocco Oil Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation, one of the leading independent oil and gas companies in the United States. The group has a long-standing presence in offshore exploration and production, with operations in multiple regions around the world. Its portfolio includes complex offshore projects, giving it technical expertise that ONHYM considers essential for evaluating Morocco’s deep and ultra-deep offshore prospects.

The agreement with Morocco follows Murphy Oil’s recent exploration activities in other African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, where some offshore campaigns did not result in commercially viable discoveries. The shift toward Moroccan offshore acreage is therefore seen as a strategic repositioning within the company’s international exploration portfolio, driven by new geological data, improved investment conditions, and Morocco’s political and regulatory stability.

From Morocco’s perspective, the partnership is also intended to facilitate technology transfer and capacity building. ONHYM has emphasized that cooperation with experienced international operators helps strengthen national expertise in geological interpretation, seismic analysis, and offshore drilling. This knowledge transfer is viewed as essential for developing local skills and supporting the long-term sustainability of the hydrocarbons sector.

Beyond technical considerations, the agreement reflects broader economic and geopolitical objectives. Morocco continues to position itself as a reliable investment destination in Africa and the Mediterranean region, benefiting from its strategic geographic location, stable political environment, and evolving regulatory frameworks. The offshore energy sector, in particular, is seen as a potential driver of foreign direct investment, job creation, and industrial development, especially in coastal regions.

The timing of the agreement also coincides with global shifts in energy markets. As countries seek to diversify supply sources and enhance energy security, natural gas in particular is increasingly viewed as a transitional fuel that can support decarbonization efforts while ensuring reliable energy supply. In this context, offshore gas exploration has gained renewed importance, and Morocco aims to position itself as a potential future supplier within regional and international markets.

While the agreement does not guarantee commercial discoveries, it establishes a structured framework for exploration, data acquisition, and evaluation. The ten exploration licenses granted under the partnership will allow Murphy Morocco Oil Co., Ltd. to conduct seismic surveys and, subject to results and regulatory approvals, drilling operations to assess the presence and commercial viability of hydrocarbons.

Officials from ONHYM have indicated that this agreement is part of a broader portfolio of offshore and onshore exploration contracts currently underway. In recent years, the agency has launched expert missions to review past exploration campaigns, identify high-potential zones, and improve the tools available to geoscientists, with the objective of enhancing future exploration success rates.

In the medium term, Morocco’s offshore strategy aims to balance economic opportunity with environmental responsibility. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to conducting exploration activities in line with international environmental standards, ensuring that offshore operations are carried out safely and sustainably, while minimizing risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

The partnership between ONHYM and Murphy Oil marks a significant development in Morocco’s offshore energy strategy. By granting access to a large and underexplored offshore area, the Kingdom is reinforcing its ambition to become a credible offshore energy player in the Atlantic basin. The agreement reflects both Morocco’s openness to international investment and its broader objective of strengthening energy security, promoting economic development, and positioning itself as a stable and competitive destination in the global energy landscape.